Vacancy Rate Calculator

Measure vacant units and occupancy across a property or portfolio

Your result will appear here.

About the Vacancy Rate Calculator

Vacancy rate measures the share of rental units, space or available time that is unoccupied during a period. It is useful for property management and revenue planning because unoccupied inventory normally produces less or no rental income.

Physical vacancy and economic vacancy are different. A unit can be physically occupied while discounts, concessions or unpaid rent reduce effective revenue.

How to Use the Vacancy Rate Calculator

  1. Enter the number of vacant units or vacant unit-periods.
  2. Enter the total available units or unit-periods.
  3. Calculate physical vacancy percentage.
  4. Use economic vacancy separately when lost revenue rather than occupied space is the main question.

How the Calculation Works

Physical vacancy rate = vacant units ÷ total rentable units ×100 for a point-in-time measure.

For a period measure, vacant unit-days or unit-months can be divided by total available unit-days or unit-months. Economic vacancy instead compares lost potential rent with gross potential rent.

Worked example

Vacancy Rate Calculator Worked Example

6 vacant units in a 120-unit property

Vacancy rate = 6÷120×100 = 5% at that point in time.

Result guide

Understanding Your Vacancy Rate Calculator Result

A 5% physical vacancy rate means 5% of the rentable units are unoccupied under the selected measurement. It does not show rent concessions or delinquency among occupied units.

Before you rely on the answer

Assumptions and Limitations

  • Vacant and total units use the same property population.
  • The time basis is stated clearly.
  • Units unavailable for renovation are treated according to the chosen policy.

Practical tip

Using This Result in Practice

For seasonal properties, average vacancy across the relevant year or season rather than using one unusually busy or quiet date. Point-in-time figures can misrepresent normal occupancy.

Related calculations

Useful Calculations to Continue With

If you are comparing property price with gross rental income, use the Gross Rent Multiplier Calculator.

If vacancy has already been reflected in NOI and you want an income yield relative to property value, use the Cap Rate Calculator.

Common questions

Vacancy Rate Calculator FAQ

What is vacancy rate?

The percentage of rentable inventory that is unoccupied during the selected measurement.

What is economic vacancy?

It measures lost rental revenue relative to potential rent, including effects beyond physical empty units.

Should renovation units count as vacant?

That depends on the reporting policy; keep the definition consistent across comparisons.